Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	according_a	doctrine_n	word_n	2,065	5	3.8689	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09255	The godly merchant, or The great gaine A sermon preached at Paules Crosse. Octob. 17. 1613. By William Pemberton, Bachelour of Diuinity, and Minister of Gods Word at high Onger in Essex.	Pemberton, William, d. 1622.	1613 (1613)	STC 19569; ESTC S120795	50,712	146

both their owne and others The Lord for his mercie adde to this number of vncorrupt Patrones make a daily supply of godly and learned Pastors blesse and multiply the companie of sincere professors these Godly Merchants and glorifie his great name in propagation of his Trueth and enlarging of his kingdome The Lord doe good in his good pleasure to this our Zion Psal 51.18 The Lord build the walles of this our Ierusalem Psal 122.7 Peace be within her walles Psal 122.7 and prosperitie within her pallaces Psal 128.5 Let all that feare the Lord see the good of our Ierusalem all the dayes of their life Nehe. 13.14 And the Lord in goodnes remember you herein and wipe not out your kindnesse which you haue shewed vnto the House of your God and for the Offices thereof The Lord grant vnto your Honour long and comfortable life make you thrice happie and honourable in your person and posteritie and giue you a blessed increase in this great gaine of Godlinesse that you may assuredly finde much prosperitie in this life of Grace and fruition of felicitie in that kingdome of glorie Your Honours in all humble dutie in Christ euer bounden William Pemberton THE GODLY Merchant or the great gaine 1. TIM 6.6 But godlinesse with contentment is great gaine RIght Honourable and beloued in the Lord Gal. 4.26 The celestiall Ierusalem which is aboue the Mother of vs all is the chiefe Citie of the liuing God our heauenly Father wherein all our elder brethren and fellow-seruants after faithfull imployment of their spirituall talents Mat. 25.16 17 hauing giuen vp to God a good account doe rest from their labours and their workes follow them Ibid. vers 21.23 for they are entred already into the ioy of their Lord and enioy their desired felicity in fruition of God The Church of Christ on Earth is likewise a City of God Ephes 2.19 Gloriosissima Ciuitas Aug. de Ciuit. Dei l. 1. c. 1. yea a great Citie and a place of great Trafique and Marchandize all the Citizens whereof hauing receiued from the Lord their number of talents are become Merchants Mat. 25.15 c. or traders in one kinde or other all vnweariable in their painfull indeauour and all ayming at one common end their returne and increase in their profit and their gaine Or if any be sloathfull hee hopes to purchase ease and that in his account is a sufficient gaine Now as it fareth in other Cities so it falles out in this that all proue not wise and faithfull factors vsing faire and honest dealing in their trading and contenting themselues with a good and lawfull aduantage but some are craftie and deceitfull Merchants who corrupt and adulterate their most precious wares and all to feed their couetous humour Such were the false Apostles mentioned in the former verses who did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach otherwise then they should Vers 3 4 5. who consenting not to wholsome words euen the words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according vnto godlinesse did set out religion vnto Sale and vsed false imposture for their priuate aduantage Supposing in opinion or avowing in practise that gaine was godlinesse While they measured Christianity by earthly commoditie and corrupted the truth of God and abused the precious name of Pietie onely to satisfie their greedy appetite as though the mysterie of godlinesse were a mysterie of iniquitie 1. Tim. 2.16 2. Thess 2.7 or a trade to serue to their sordide and filthy lucre And these are one sort of Merchants who trade in this Citie and these haue great doings and many partners who make their faire profession of pietie a sleight to further their earthly gaine yea and pretend religion the better to deceiue Of such false impostors the Lord himselfe complaines That their siluer is turned into drosse their wine is mingled with water Esa 1.22 of such our Apostle had experience that they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corrupt the word of God 2. Cor. 2.17 and concerning such he forewarnes Timotheus saying from such separate or withdraw thy selfe verse 5 There is another sort of Merchants that are wise and faithfull who hauing found the precious pearle of religion and pietie Mat. 13.45.46 preserue it entire and vncorrupt without all imposture or mixture of their owne And such a Merchant was holy Saint Paul 1. Cor. 15 10. 2. Cor. 11.23.25.26 that Great trader both by sea and land who accounted all things drosse and dung for Christ Iesus alone Phil. 3.7 8. the onely pearle of price and did impart it to others in all fidelitie That they might partake with him in this heauenly wealth while as of sinceritie as of God 2. Cor. 2.17 in the sight of God so hee did preach in Christ He accounted it great impietie to deale deceitfully and extreame folly to ayme at earthly commoditie and made this his rule of direction in all his trafique which was an vnmoueable conclusion of his most serious deliberation That Godlinesse with contentment is the great gaine The scope of the words The intent of Saint Paul that experienced Merchant that I may follow the allegorie is to perswade Timotheus a much intrusted factor and all others that trade in this kinde not to follow the guize of such deceitfull dealers as measured Christianity by outward gaine as though hee were the holier who is the wealthier and made their preaching and practise of the doctrine of pietie to become a base and sordide trade to compasse their earthly commoditie but to become partners with him in his approued course to embrace the Gospell in all integritie and to content themselues with their least increase in their outward condition so they were surely possessed of the rich pearle of pietie able of it selfe to cause a wel-contenting sufficiencie and therefore he backes this conclusion with all force of reason That Godlinesse with contentment is great gaine Ver. 7 8 9.10 The contents of the words These words then containe in them a sound position of Saint Paul a true Apostle opposed to a fond supposition of the false Apostles Their fond supposition in effect was this Gaine is godlinesse Goods are goodnesse Where there is wealth enough there is religion enough For they preached and professed the religion of Christ onely to purchase the wealth of the world But Saint Pauls sound position most acutely opposed to their fond supposition is this Godlinesse is gaine True goodnesse is the true goods Where there is religiō enough there is wealth enough Yea godlinesse is great gain Naked piety is the wealthy commodity True grace is the richest treasure Godlinesse with contentment is great gaine Godlinesse is attended with contentment True pietie brings true plenty and of it selfe will cause a wel-contenting sufficiency The summary conclusion of all is this It is most false which the false Apostles did so profanely and impiously

his resolutiō but godly contentmēt whereby he rested wel-pleased in his sound Religion and estate now enioyed in this seruice of God And what was the benefit he thence expected but this great gaine of Godlines euen fruitiō of blessednes in communion with the true God This is that oyle the oyle of Grace which those wise virgins prouided in the vessels of their hearts Math. 25. v. 4. and did furnish their Lamps of their profession therewithall This cheered their hearts with sweet contentment in their tedious expectation of the tarying bridegrome and readily guided them to the wedding chamber where they did enioy this great gaine of godlinesse the joyfull companie of their blessed bridegrome in eternall societie of felicitie and glory Our profession is the same with theirs our practise also should be the like Let vs therefore hold fast our profession Hebr. 4.14 that outward professiō of our hope Hebr. 10.23 without wauering but not a seeming semblance without the truth substance in the heart Hebr. 13.9 It is good that the heart which is naked to God bee established with grace and that the life also which is open to men be holie and vnblameable as becommeth Saints That the glorious excellencie of grace in the heart Psal 45.7 being adorned with the vestures of golden profession and practise of life the kings daughter may be a fit spouse for her bridegrome God cannot approue of the truthlesse shew of godlinesse in our life when the heart is not inwardly sound and sincere Neither can we gaine ought by seeming rich in grace when we are Apoc. 3.17 indeede both poore and miserable But if we shall sincerely endeauour that God may haue the possession of our gracious hearts Prou. 23.26 and men the benefite of our religious liues then shall God haue glory from vs we comfort from God and glory with him And all this shall by Gods grace be powerfully effected shall we finde and feele in heart and life the truth and efficacie of this short sentēce Godlinesse with contentment is great gaine Of which words I spake as it pleased God to direct and inable me in that solemne assemblie whether I was by authoritie called to this seruice of God and his Church and where I endeauoured to become helpfull to my present Auditors in their spirituall good estate by labouring to perswade them vnder the Title of Godly Merchants to make sure purchase to themselues of this great gaine of godlinesse which as it is most comfortably attended of sweete contentment so it will aboundantly enrich the possessor thereof with all sufficiencie of most precious treasures What I then deliuered by speach I am now induced at the earnest intreatie of sundry religious and wel affected to commit by writing to the publike view The ground of their request as they well assured me and of my assent thereunto as the Lord doeth witnesse with me is desire and hope of further benefite thereby through Gods blessing to redound to Gods people If God in mercy graunt this successe vnto it I shall much ioy in fruition of my desire and end of my labour I haue withall inserted some things which I had prouided to speake but did purposely omit for want of time As for the allegations of some Authors now in the margent as I did not iudge it fit then to trouble the hearers with them so may the readers at their pleasure passe by them Let my earnest request to the christian Reader be this that he will kindly accept fauourably interpret diligently peruse religiously vse this little helpe a poore mite cast into the Treasury of the Church to the furthering of his purchase of Godlinesse and nourishing of Contentment within his heart And now Right honourable I am bould to commend to the vse of the godly Reader these first fruits of my labours vnder the Patronage of your Loe worthy name Humbly beseeching your Honour to accept of them as a small testimonie of that great thankfulnes which from my heart I desire to returne first to God the gracious Author and then to your Honour as the ready instrument of a good blessing bestowed vpon me It pleased your Hon. long since to conceiue well of me and to reteine a purpose to do me good vpon sit occasion offred by most kind letters to testifie your pleasure yea and earnest desire to become my Patrone and therein the happie meanes of my free and comfortable entrance into my Charge and Ministerie For which sweete blessing of God my soule doeth daily blesse God and it may well be vnto me a good encouragement vnto constant endeauour in that holie businesse and waightie imployment for the glory of God the edification of his people the comfort of my owne soule and the better encouragemēt of your Honour in the constant prosecution of your religious and carefull course of vpright discharge of that great trust of a faithfull Dore-keeper in the house of God that as much as in you lyeth Gods Church may be prouided of a supplie of learned and godly Pastors who by sound doctrine and holie life may promote the glory of God in the saluation of many soules while they enrich them with this great gaine of godlinesse by faithfull dispensation of the treasures of Christ The holie companie of these Godly Merchants whereof this present Sermon doeth intreate doeth greatly reioyce to reckon your Honour among the chiefe of their Societie And it doeth hartily prayse God for his goodnesse to you in your large portion of temporall blessings as of wisedome honour authoritie and good estate but especially in Gods rich bountie to you in his spirituall talents of sauing knowledge in the mysterie of godlinesse faith in Gods promises zeale for Gods glory loue to Gods Saints Christian humilitie and studious indeauour to benefit the Church of God with other precious graces of Gods sanctifying spirit those most durable riches and inualuable treasures of the best returne of Godlinesse And this ioy of this happie Companie shall be much enlarged to obserue your wise employment of these goodly gifts of your person and estate for your more happie growth in your heauenly wealth for the greater increase of the sweete Contentment of your heart for the farther adorning of your holy profession and the aduantage of your Lord and Maister and aduancement of his glory in the propagation of his trueth vnto still succeeding times and persons And all this shall be happily effected as by constant prosecution of all other your godly courses wherein the Lord expecteth your daily progresse so in maintaining still your deserued Honour of an vncorrupt Patrone and crowning your good proceedings with constant perseuerance That while too many enrich themselues with the price of blood your Honour may still remaine in the blessed number of such truely Honoured Patrones as through faithfull discharge of that weightie trust purchase true wealth and enriching treasures in furthering the gaine of soules